Fruit-grader.



F. J. HEACOCK.

FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION mu) MAR. 29. I9I6.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR zF/fixzwi ATTORNEY F. J. HEACOCK.

FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29,1916.

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w wK 1n: ncwms PETERS-Cu. PM 1 LITMQ. wAsmlvumm o c.

F. 1. H EACOCK. FRUIT GRADER,

A'PPLICATiON FILED MAR-29, i916.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTOR/VEY TTED FOSTER JAMES HEACOCK, OF SALEM, INDIANA.

FRUIT-GRADER.

menses.

Application filed March 29, 1916.

To (Eli 71.0772 it may concern Be it known that I, Fosrnn J. HnAoooK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the county of Washington and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Fruit-Grader, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

The general object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for the sorting of fruit, more particularly apples, and grading the same into different sizes suitable for packing in boxes or barrels.

The invention relates more particularly to an apparatus of the indicated class so arranged that an attendant can expeditiously remove the culls and separate the remaining apples into two general grades and deposit the same on grading tables or aprons, means being provided whereby the apples on each table or apron will be auton'iatically separated according to size and directed to receiving aprons presenting pockets of a character to be optionally variable for altering the relations of particular pockets to the respective outlets in the grading table or apron, whereby to control the sizes received by particular pockets by directing or excluding from the pockets apples of smaller or larger size.

The distinguishing features of the in vention and the advantages of the particular means for carrying out the same will appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference charac ters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional plan view on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; Fig. i is a transverse vertical. section on the line l%i, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section showing the means for varying the pockets of the receiving apron; Fig. 6 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 5, the view being taken at right angles to Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail in vertical section of one of the revolving arms and its resilient device to act on the apron of the grading table to effect the grading; Fig. 8 is a detail in vertical sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 87,466.

tion showing the manner of forming the outlets of the apron of the grading table.

In coi'istructing a practical embodiment of my invention, any suitable frame work is provided, here shown as having posts 10 and horizontal frame members 11, including cross bars 11 that support, at their outer ends, respectively, posts, 10, 10 It is to be understood that an attendant stands at one side of the machine as at A, Figs. 1 and 1, between the adjacent spaced ends of the cross bars 11 On the frame work and extending from the posts 10 toward the opposite side A of the apparatus and centrally of the latter, is a receiving table 12 in the form of a canvas apron having a slight pitch toward the position A.

Beneath the table 12 is a cull chute 13 in the form of an apron, the receiving end of which is adjacent to the position A and which has a slight pitch toward the opposite end of the machine for depositing, into a suitable receptacle (not shown), the culled fruit taken from the table 12 by the attendant.

As the attendant sorts out the culls and drops the same into the chute 13, he will make two general grades of the remaining apples, according to their color, form, and freedom from insect and fungus injury, depositing the one general grade on a table 14 at the left and the other general grade on a similar table 1 1 at the right of the receiving apron 12. The tables l i are in the form of canvas aprons preferably continuous with the apron 12, and which are given a sag between the center and outer edges. As both the grading tables 1 1 are alike, a description of one will answer for both. Each table apron 14 is round and is formed with onev or more circular series of outlet holes 15, which preferably, are formed as shown in Fig. 8, with a ring 16, about which ring the material of the apron 14: is turned and sewed or otherwise fastened. Thus, the size and form of the out let openings 15 will be made permanent. As seen best in Fig. 1, the openings 15 increase in size from one end of the circular row to the other.

Each apron 1 1 is supported at the center on a block 17 which rests freely on a shoulder at the top of post 24 and at its outer edge the apron is supported on a ring frame 18. An aproximately radial guard 19 extends over the table 14, being suitably secured at the outer end to the adjacent post and secured by bolts 20, or the like, to the block 17. On the upper surface of the table a circular bead 21 of felt, or like soft material, is produced radially inward from the discharge openings 15, and at the outer edge of the table for the major portion, is a higher flange 22 preferably of felt or other soft material, secured to the ring frame 18 and extending about the table except at the side adjacent to the receiving apron 12. A soft covering 23 of felt, or the like, is applied to the guard 19, and it is to be understood that in practice any frame parts requiring it will have a cushion or a soft covering to prevent bruising of the fruit.

I provide means to give an undulating or wave-like movement to the flexible apron 14 of the grading table for advancing the fruit over the table surface past the outlet openings of progressively increasing size. For this purpose, a vertical shaft 24 is provided at the center of each table, and below the same on each shaft is a hub 25 carrying radial arms 26 provided with rubbing members 27 preferably formed as in Fig. 7 and consisting of a resilient sheet metal member having a felt or other soft covering 28 and secured by screws 29, or the like, to the re spective arms 26. By the rotation of the shaft 24, the rubbing members 27 will yield ingly enga e the apron 14, thereby giving a rolling motion to the fruit. Should any fruit be caught in an opening 15, it will be gently lifted therefrom and caused to roll forward until it can escape through the apron.

The motion may be given to the shafts 24 by any suitable means, there being shown for the purpose, a chain belt 30 running around sprocket pinions 31 on said shafts and driven by a sprocket pinion 32 on a vertical shaft 33 having a bevel pinion 34 in mesh with a similar pinion 35 on a drive shaft 36, which may be driven from. any convenient power or by a crank handle 37.

Below the sorting tables, in position to receive fruit dropping through the openings 15, 1 provide a receiving apron, designated generally by the numeral 39. Said apron 39 is elevated beneath apron 14 for which purpose boxings 38 are supported on the frame work 11 and in which the shafts 24 turn. The receiving apron 39, which is of canvas, is sufficiently slack to form depressions or pockets therein, there being a depression 40 leading to the cull chutes 13 and holding pockets, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45. To produce the pockets, hangers 46 are employed which may engage eyes 47 or 47, on the ring 18 or other support, and engage the apron 39. The apron 39 is formed with slits 48, through which a hook 46 on the hanger may be passed and the hanger given a. qi'larter-turn, as Will be understood from Figs. 5 and 6. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if the hangers 46 are engaged with the eyes 47 and with the slits 48 located in the apron 39 directly beneath the said eyes, then ridges, as indicated at 50, will be formed in the said apron and the location of these ridges may be optionally changed by shifting the hangers 46 from the eyes 47 to the eyes 47*, thereby forming ridges running as indicated by the I dotted lines 50 The location of the ridges in the apron 39, it will be seen, varies the relation of particular pockets to particular outlets 15 in the sorting apron 14 whereby to direct, to the respective pockets, fruit of varying size according to the position of the ridges at 50, or 50.

To insure that the ridges and pockets in the apron 39 be made to extend beneath the sorting apron 14, I prefer to employ short bars 51 beneath the apron, said bars being pivoted at the inner ends as at 52, to a relatively fixed element such as a boxing 38 and free to swing laterally to accord with the positions of the hangers 46, The hangers 46, int-he illustrated arrangement,-freely pass through the outer ends of said bars 51 and. are formed with eyes 46 beneath the bars to support the latter and at the same time permit of the shifting of the said hangers to the different positions.

The rings 18 may be supported in any suitable manner. I have shown for the purpose, braces 18 extending from an end of the frame 11 to the adjacent ring 18, said rings being also secured to the post 10 by bolts 18 or otherwise secured to the adjacent frame members. This manner of supporting the rings 18 insures a proper clearance above the receiving apron 39.

The apparatus constructed as described, it will be seen, enables me to take advantage of the discretion of the operator in eliminating culls and enables the operator to optionally vary the separation into grades both by varying the nature of the two main grades into which primarily the fruit is separated and then by varying the size of the fruit automatically directed to the respective pockets in the receiving apron.

The described construction affords a practical means for carrying my invention into effect, and I would state in conclusion that I do not limit myself to the mechanical form of the machine as illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like including a grading apron in the form of a sheet of flexible material having outlets of different size, means supporting said apron at the center and means to give undulating movement to said apron about the supported center thereof.

2. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a flexible grading apron in the form of a sheet of flexible material having outlets of different size arranged in a curved series about the center thereof, and a device beneath said apron and mounted for movement over the under surface thereof to give advancing movement to the fruit thereon in a circular path beneath the said series of outlets.

3. A. grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including grading means, and a receiving apron in the form of a sheet of flexible material below the grading means into which the latter delivers the graded fruit, said receiving apron having a plurality of depressions therein presenting pockets for receiving the respective grades, the said pockets inclining downwardly from the receiving ends.

l. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a grading apron consisting of a sheet of flexible material having an arouate series of outlet openings and PlOgIGS- sively increasing in size, and revolving means engaging the said apron at the under side to cause undulating movement thereof; together with a receiving apron of flexible material having depressions presenting pockets separately receiving the graded fruit from the grading apron, the sheet of material constituting the receiving apron and the pockets thereof extending beneath the first sheet and the outer portion of the said second sheet and the outer ends of the pockets extending laterally beyond said first sheet.

5. A. grading apparatus including a grading table arranged to grade the fruit and discharge the separated grades, a flexible receiving apron having pockets to which the graded fruit is delivered from the grading table, and means to optionally vary the said pockets to be complementary to more or less of the adjacent area of the grading table.

(3. A grading apparatus including grading means, a flexible receiving apron disposed about the grading means and below the same and presenting depressions side by side to separately receive the graded fruit discharged from the grading means, and variable means to optionally vary the surface formation of the receiving apron to shift the side lines of the pockets and re strict or enlarge the entrance area of the re spcctive pockets to accord with more or less of the grading means.

7. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a receiving table grading aprons at the sides of the receiving table and presenting arcuate series of outlet openings, a cull chute beneath the receiving table and below the grading tables, receiving aprons presenting holding pockets positioned to receive the graded fruit from the grading aprons and each presenting a chute adapted to receive the smallest grades and discharge the same to the said cull chute.

8. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a grading apron of flexible material, having an arcuate series of outlet openings of progressively increasing size, a guard extending above the table approximately radial thereto, and means beneath the table to give an undulating movement thereto and advance the fruit over the table in an arcuate path from one side of the guard toward the opposite side.

9. An apparatus for grading fruit and the like, including a flexible grading apron, a support beneath the apron at the center, supporting means at the outer edge of the apron, said apron having a sag between the center and the outer edge and formed with an arcuate series of outlet openings of gradually increasing size, means beneath the apron and mounted to move over the under surface of the apron to give undulating movement thereto, and arcuate members rising above the upper surface of the table radially inward from the outlet openings and radially outward from said openings.

10. An apparatus for grading fruit and the like, including a grading apron, means beneath the center of the apron holding the same against sagging at the said center, means to support the outer edge of the apron, said apron having an annular sag outward from the center thereof and having an arcuate series of outlet openings progressively increasing in size, and arms mounted to revolve below the table and having resilient members movable over the under surface of the table.

11. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a flexible grading apron, a ring supporting said apron at the outer edge, means to support the center of said apron to hold the same from sagging so that the apron presents an annular sag between the said center and the said ring, there being an arcuate series of outlet openings in the apron at the said sagging portion, the openings being of progressively increasing size, and a flexible head on the said apron annularly inward from the said opening, and a guard on said ring and rising above the surface of the apron.

12. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including a grading apron of flexible material having an arcuate series of outlet openings of varying size, means movable over the under surface of the apron to give undulating movement thereto, a support for the apron at the center, a ring supporting the apron at the edge thereof, a flexible receiving apron supported below the grading apron and arranged to receive the graded fruit, and means to support the edge of the grading apron, said latter means including a ring to which the outer edge of the grad ing apron is secured, and braces extending from the said ring outwardly above the receiving apron.

13. A grading apparatus for fruit and the like, including grading means, a flexible re ceiving apron arranged to receive the fruit from the grading means, hangers adapted to detachably engage at their lower ends with the said receiving apron at different points on the latter and serving to hold said apron elevated at separated points and form pook- 15 ets in the receiving apron between said. hangers, and means to variously position the upper ends of said hangers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of artwo subscribing witnesses.

FOSTER JAMES HEACOGK.

Witnesses J OHN F. CALLAM, GEORGE It. FLOYD Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addre sing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

